Tag Archives: recipe contest

Simple, Fun and Delicious Sweet Potatoes – Blogger Contest Inspiration

March 17, 2012
6

The No More Mallows Blogger Recipe Contest is in full swing, and I just want to say….Keep those recipe’s coming in, bloggers! I am always amazed to see how creative the contest entries are.  But with an ingredient like sweet potatoes, it is hard not to be inspired.  As I pointed out in the last post, our sassy sweets really do lend themselves to any recipe, and not just as a mere ingredient, but as the star!  From Breakfast, to Dessert, this superfood can do it all.  All while providing you with more antioxidants than you can poke a stick at.  That’s probably why Health Writers at the Washington Post said they provide a health boost that can help prevent all sort of woes, including wrinkles. How’s that for awesome!

It’s easy to put together a delish dish, without breaking the bank on exotic ingredients. And you don’t have to be a master chef either.  As a matter of fact, most cooks that I know would prefer to keep it simple in the kitchen. But that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice flavor. Take a look at this Sweet Potato Salad. It only takes a few minutes, but wow does it pack a lot of flavor…Pistachios add a little crunch, cherries add a hint of tartness to balance the natural sweetness of the main ingredient, spring greens add a hint of bitterness and a balsamic vinaigrette rounds everything out.  But here’s the most important part – the sweet potatoes are allowed to shine.  No syrupy sauce or gooey marshmallow topping needed here, thank you very much. 

PS As a Southern Girl, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that toasted pecans work equally well in this dish.  Have fun cooking and be sure to send in your creation, it might just be a winner!

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Greens,  Pistachios and Cherries

 Ingredients

2 pounds North Carolina Sweet Potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup of your favorite herbed or balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
6 cups spring mix greens
1/2 cup Dried Cherries
5 ounces goat cheese, thinly sliced (optional)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

Instructions

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel yams and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Place on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned. Remove from oven and whisk together remaining oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add greens and cherries and toss lightly. Immediately add hot yams to bowl and toss again. Place in 6 salad bowls and top each with goat cheese, if desired. Sprinkle with pistachios. Makes 6 servings.

St Patrick’s Day Sweet Potato Stew – No More Mallows!

March 13, 2012
4

As announced last week, it is time for our Annual Blogger Recipe Contest with the theme of ‘No More Mallows’.  Regular readers know that sassy sweets are such a versatile and adaptable ingredient that it really is a shame to condemn them to a monotonous culinary role as “that marshmallow casserole.” To me, it’s like taking a fine dry-aged prime-rib and using it to make a chicken fried steak.  Sure, it would probably taste good, but think of the potential cuisine that could have been.

Here is a little inspiration for your recipes. Over the past few years, this blog has highlighted sweet potato biscuits, nachos, cookies, pizza, soup, salad, ice cream, burritos, and sandwiches. Out sassy sweets have been paired with endive, mushrooms, quinoa, avocados, oranges, and even chocolate.  They have been featured in Italian, Spanish, German, Mexican, Indian, Jamaican, Korean, Jewish, Chinese, and American cuisine where they were fried, grilled, boiled, baked, sauteed, fricasseed, juiced, gravied, frozen and even served raw….all without a mallow in sight. 

And that’s not all. The sweet potato truly is the wonder of the kitchen.  It is a superfood that tastes delicious…How does it get any better than that?  I doubt I could eat spirulina every day, but sweet potatoes are something I just can’t do without.  I’m eatin’ em for breakfast lunch and dinner…and getting all those health benefits with hardly any effort on my part. What’s not to love!

As a final bit of inspiration, here is a recipe that is perfect for the season. With St Patrick’s Day right around the corned, I am featuring an Irish inspired dish, Sweet potato Stew with Pork.  Traditionally, Irish cooks used pork instead of corned beef. The beef tradition was actually started in New York, not Ireland, but I digress.  If you just can’t do without that corned beef flavor, try adding a bouquet garni of pickling spice as the pork simmers.  The spice blend pairs beautifully with pork.  And speaking of pairing beautifully, there in almost no better combination than sweet potatoes, pork and onions. Give this recipe a try, and I am sure you will agree.

Irish Sweet Potato Stew with Pork

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless pork, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-1/3 cups chicken broth
  • 4 to 5 small onions, quartered
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley


Directions

  • In a large bowl, toss pork with mustard until lightly coated. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour and brown sugar; add pork and shake to coat.
  • In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown pork in oil. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth; bring to a boil. Scrape bottom of skillet to loosen any browned bits. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.
  • Add the onions, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper; cover and simmer 30 minutes more or until the pork and potatoes are tender. Stir in parsley.

Meet the Judges

March 25, 2011
9

Wow, we have quite a challenge ahead of us. With 160 entries, we’ll be testing and tasting our way down to a total of 9 finalists – 3 finalists in each category. Visit the contest photo album on our Facebook page for a chance to see the recipes up close and personal. Like what you see? Click on the photo. The link to the recipe is included in every caption. Happy hunting!

On April 8th, a panel of judges will gather to taste the 9 final recipes and decide on a $2,000 grand prize winner in each category. A runner-up will be chosen for each and will recieve a $200 gift card to Williams-Sonoma. We’ve chosen a panel of top-notch food editors to assist in this daunting task. Meet the judges!

Sue Johnson-Langdon

Sue is the Executive Director of the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission. She married a sweet potato farmer back in 1970 and has been sweet talkin’ these botanical beauties ever since. Officially known as Sweet Sue, her enthusiasm and knowledge of sweet potatoes will be a great asset during the judging.

Maggie Shi


Maggie is a deputy editor at RealSimple.com, where she covers food, money, work and life. She also does regular posts on their blog Simply Stated. Maggie has never met a vegetable she didn’t like and is obsessed with anything edible, which currently include breakfast tacos, boiled peanuts and hot lobster rolls.

Beth Lipton

Beth is the Food Editor at All You magazine and has her own dessert blog CookiePie. She is obsessed with all things food – baking, cooking, reading food magazines and cookbooks. As a judge, she’ll get to sit back and do mostly eating which I’m sure is at the top of her list of hobbies.

Ben Mims

Ben is Associate Food Editor at Saveur magazine. Not only is Ben a professional recipe developer and food researcher, he is also originally from down south – a dynamic combination for a sweet potato contest judge. Does your recipe meet Ben’s standards? You’ll find out on April 8th!

Jennifer Perillo

Jennifer is the Food Editor at Working Mother magazine. She focuses on family-friendly recipes for busy lifestyles. Jennifer’s fun yet practical approach to food makes her the perfect judge for our kid-friendly category. Visit her blog, In Jennie’s Kitchen, for her personal recipes that nourish her daughters and husband.

Contest Update

March 14, 2011
11

There’s only 1 week left of the Sweet n’ Healthy Recipe Contest and like in most contests, this is the week when the majority of the entries will be sliding in. For those of you carefully plotting your recipe entry, head over to our Facebook page and see what you’re up against. We have a photo album with all the mouth-watering entries and links to their recipes. Make sure you’re not hungry before you visit because this will drive you nuts!
If you’re still stuck on what to make, here are a few insider tips to get you on your way:

1. Submit into the least dense category. Right now, we are really high in vegetarian category and low in the sugar-free and kid-friendly departments. Submitting into a category with less competition means a higher chance of winning!

2. Take note of trending recipes. Either stay away from these because you’ll be up against too many of the same (it’s not likely that 2 oatmeal cookies would be chosen) or take tips from these recipes and make yours better. A few popular items that keep cropping up are cookies/muffins, stews and gnocchi.

3. Keep it universal. Our judges have very diverse palates. The more judges you impress, the higher your score. Make sure your recipe will be liked by a variety of people – think dinner party.

4. Make it your own. We love blogs and are familiar with the recipes out there. Be sure if you’re going to use other blogs as inspiration to tweak the recipe and give it your own touch. That way you’ll truly have an original recipe and the judges will be introduced to something new and exciting.

5. Don’t repeat last year’s winning entries. You get the idea. Click here to see the winners.

2011 Sweet n’ Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

February 28, 2011
12

I am very excited about the return of the Annual Blogger Recipe Contest. All of the rules and requirements are posted here.  Just remember to keep it original and be creative!  Luckily, sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile ingredients around, so let your imagination run wild.

In my last post, I shared a great vegetarian recipe. So this time, I am sharing a sweet treat from another contest category.  These muffins are so delicious, you will never guess that they are sugar free and gluten free!  Combine that with our sassy super-food, sweet potatoes, and you have a nutritional powerhouse.  These muffins are packed with fiber, potassium, and vitamin A, and have a very low glycemic index, making them one of the healthiest treats you can eat.  Most importantly, they are absolutely delish!  In fact, these muffins are so tasty that your family will guess that they’re eating health-food!

Now that you are feeling inspired by all that sweet potatoes can do, get blogging and share your favorite recipe.  It might just be worth $2000!

 
Sugar Free Sweet Potato Muffins

3 little sweet potatoes, already baked and peeled
2 cups almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
2 eggs
½ cup agave
1 cup applesauce
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoons salt
¾ cup of pecans

  1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the applesauce and agave.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract.
  4. Once that is well mixed then slowly add the rest of the ingredients except for the pecans.
  5. Fold in the pecans.
  6. Pour into greased muffin pans.
  7. Bake for 20-30 minutes until brown.

Makes 18 regular sized muffins

Sweet N’ Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

February 25, 2011
10

I am very excited about the return of the Annual Blogger Recipe Contest which was announced last week.  This year’s theme is Sweet n’ Healthy and I cannot think of a better way to showcase all that Sweet Potatoes have to offer. Regular readers know that our Sassy Sweets are loaded with Potassium, Vitamin A, and Fiber.  Pretty amazing for something so sweet and delicious!

Need some inspiration?  Sweet potatoes are a truly versatile ingredient, lending themselves to almost any style of cuisine. For example, this weeks recipe goes outside the box with a tasty twist on classic nachos.  They’re healthy, kid-friendly, vegetarian, and absolutely delicious!

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Nachos

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced very thin (1/8 inch)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 package Morningstar Farms Veggie Crumbles (or your fave ground meat substitute)
  • 3 chipotle peppers, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
  • 2 cups grated Monterrey Jack Cheese (or soy cheese)
  • 3 jalapenos, sliced
  • 1 bunch scallions, sliced
  • Sea Salt
  • 1 bunch Cilantro
  • Black Pepper
  • Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Toss sweet potato slice lightly in olive oil.  Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake 20-25 minutes until crispy.  Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Add the olive oil to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add meat substitute and cook until heated through and lightly browned.  Add the tomato paste, chipotles, and salt and pepper, to taste.  Add the BBQ sauce, bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Assemble:
Stack sweet potato chips on an oven proof platter. Top the potatoes with some meat, cheese, and jalapenos. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients. Broil until the cheese melts, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the platters from the broiler and garnish with scallions, jalapenos, and cilantro.

2011 Sweet n’ Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

February 21, 2011
16

It’s time for our blogger contest, now in its 3rd year! For those of you who have entered before, we’re doinig things a little differently this time:

  • First off, we are focusing on health. Why sweet n’ healthy? Well we all love sweet potatoes for their sweet dense flavor, but as everyone is learning, sweet potatoes are a nutrition powerhouse and that is a huge bonus. So this year we want recipes that use sweet potatoes in a way that’ll get our health in gear, either as a meat replacement, a replacement for the typical junky kid foods or as a replacement for sugar. Take that natural sweetness and run with it!

  • Secondly (and lastly), because we have three recipe categories, we are awarding grand prizes of $2,000 to a winner in each category! AND since deciding on a winner is always hard enough, we’ll be choosing a runner up in each category who will recieve a $200 gift card to Williams-Sonoma. Not too shabby eh?

Are you up for the sweet n’ healthy challenge? Get your ovens burning, your water boiling and your grater shredding – show us what you got! Here’s how to enter:

1. Create an orginal recipe using fresh sweet potatoes as the key ingredient. Your recipe must fall under one of the following categories:

  • Kid-friendly

  • Vegeterian

  • Sugar-free

2. Post your recipe and photograph on your blog before March 21, 2011.

3. Email us at sassysweets@lewis-neale.com with your:

  • Name, phone number, mailing address

  • Email

  • Blog name

  • Category

  • Link to your recipe

  • Where you heard about the contest

Recipes will be judged on taste, importance of sweet potato, orginality and ease of preparation. For complete rules and details, visit our website. Good luck to everyone and let the cooking begin!

Contest Update…

March 31, 2010
12

Our contest has come to an end and we have some serious testing ahead of us. We got just what we asked for, out-of-the-box, wildly tasty recipes (from the looks of it). Originally, we thought we’d have a the winner determined by April 9th, but due to the high number of entries, testing will take longer than anticipated. We will have a winner by April 23rd instead. In the meantime, lay back and get ready to drool over some of our tempting entries!

Sweet Potato Chowder
from Everyday Southwest
This recipe was made in a slow cooker for ultimate sweet potato sweetness. Donna of Everyday Southwest says, “…the sweet richness pairs well with smokiness, so I added chipotle peppers and smoked paprika.”

Sweet Potato Millet Bake
from The Smart Kitchen
When developing this recipe, Sarah of The Smart Kitchen learned that millet is one the healthiest foods in the world. She adapted the recipe from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and was pleasantly surprised. “Who knew birdseed could taste so good? The sweet potatoes cooked perfectly, light and fluffy with just a hint of maple and honey.”

from Kath Eats Real Food

These tender little gnocchi are said to take a while, but looks like they’re worth the wait. Kath, our guest blogger this month, says “They taste like little dough balls of french toast!”. I love pairing kale with anything sweet potato for contrast and an extra boost of nutrients!

Looks like Cinnabon has some competition. These decadent rolls are topped with an orange cream cheese icing and the dough has a hint of citrus as well. Cathy says, ” I think the best part of making these with sweet potatoes is that they didn’t dry out right away.” I think that goes for most baked goods; another reason to love sweet potatoes!

Spring Is In The Air

March 29, 2010
14
Spring has arrived and the land is filled with wonderful colors of the new season.  Cherry trees are filled with gorgeous pink blooms, the grass grows greener by the day, and clusters of bright yellow daffodils spread their sunny cheer  to all.  On the Spring menu, light flavorful fare rules.  When I want a dish that truly captures everything that Spring has to offer, the choice is obvious, “Spring Rolls”.  Sweet Potato Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Suce to be precise.   These delightful rolls are so scrumptious that your mouth will be watering by the time you finish reading the recipe.  I really love the the vibrant shades of bright orange and green in this dish.  What could be better for Spring?
There are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, but don’t let that dissuade you from giving it a try.  You will be surpised by how easily it all comes together.
Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

Rolls:
8 ounces pork loin, cut into 2×1/4-inch strips
14 small shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed
2 cups peeled, grated sweet potatoes
8 ounces cellophane noodles
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
14 rice paper sheets
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
14 fresh cilantro leaves, rinsed and patted dry with paper towel

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger root
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce

Rolls:

Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, garlic, and ginger root in a bowl. Add pork to mixture and marinate 15 minutes at room temperature. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork with marinade; sauté until pork is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Set pork mixture aside to cool.

Blanch shrimp by plunging them into salted boiling water until cooked through, 1–2 minutes. Drain shrimp and let cool. When shrimp are cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise. Blanch sweet potatoes in a fresh batch of salted boiling water until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Rinse sweet potato with cold water, drain, then spread on paper-towel-lined plate to dry.

Place noodles in a bowl; cover with boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain well. Use kitchen shears to cut noodles into short pieces. Combine hot water and vinegar in a large bowl.

Soak one rice sheet until softened, about 1 minute. (Keep remaining rice sheets in their package so they don’t curl). Place softened sheet on damp towel.

To assemble roll, arrange pork, sweet potatoes, noodles, mushrooms, and cabbage on bottom edge of softened rice sheet. Pull edge of sheet over filling and tuck edge under as you roll. Keep it tight and watch so filling doesn’t push out ends of roll. Try to maintain a 1-inch margin on sides. Roll up rice sheet halfway. Arrange 2 shrimp halves, with cut side facing up, and 1 cilantro leaf on rice sheet. Leave a 1-inch margin on each side. [Photo 3] Fold sides of rice paper inward; finish rolling. Place completed roll seam-side-down on tray that has been lined with damp paper towels. Cover with damp towel. Prepare remaining rolls.  Serve with Thai Peanut Sauce. (See Below)

Thai Peanut Sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer sauce for 2 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and cool to room temperature. Serve cool or keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Makes: 14 rolls

Plating your masterpiece

March 18, 2010
10

Wow, I am really excited about the number of readers that have expressed interest in our Sweet Potato Recipe Blogger Contest. Of course, the actual recipe is the most important part, but a great picture can make your fantastic Sweet Potato creations as eye-catching as they are mouth-watering. 

One of the most important steps to creating a great picture is proper plating. Here are a few guidelines used by professional chefs and photographers.  These awesome tips will help you show off your food for blogs, photos, parties, and friends.  A great looking plate always make a good first impression.

Basic Techniques

  • Think of your plate as a foundation or support to show off your creation.  A strong support should serve to accent your dish and never distract from it. It is for this reason that many chefs only work with white plates.  Regardless of your plate color you should leave plenty of “white space” in your picture.  Areas where your plate shows through emphasize the contrast of your dish’s color and texture. Notice the plate above. It is full, but appears uncluttered because of the white space that is shown.
  • As a general rule, avoid heavily patterned plates. While these plates can be beautiful, they can also distract from your dish. In Japan, chefs say that diners “Eat with their eyes first.” Every thing on your plate should be placed to attract your eyes to the main dish. Remember, your plate is the support, not the attraction.
  • Make sure your plate is complete. Don’t overuse white space, there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing”.  Leave your plates uncluttered, but don’t leave them empty.  Sometimes a wisp of lettuce or a delicate flower can complete a presentation that otherwise looks a little bare. See the garnishing rules below for more inspiration.
  • Remember to emphasize the color and texture of the Sweet Potato.  Our wonderful spuds are famous for there brightly colored flesh, so be sure to show that off.  In fact, brightly orange colors of the Sweet Potato can easily overcome the “white plates looks best” rule.  Dark colors, contrasting greens, even blues will make your pictures stand out. Just remember to use the same rules regarding clutter and eye appeal. Just look at the wonderful contrast in the Herb Roasted Vegetable Plate below.

Garnishes
  • Be sure to add garnishes to your plate.  They add texture, depth and even whimsy to your picture. A simply sprig of parsley can add that little je ne sais quoi, that make a plate really pop.  Try delicate swirls of rich red sauce, bright green asparagus, the brilliant pop of saffron rice. The garnish serves to balance the plate, so add a lime wedge, a colorful radish flower or try your hand at on of these advanced garnishes. My favorite … the Sweet Potato Butterfly.  Bon Apetit!